Benjamin j



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN J. HOWE, OF SING SING, NEW YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,500, dated March 29, 1881.

Application filed November 5, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN J. Howe, of Sing Sing, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Knife-Gleaner, of which the following is a specication.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple, convenient, and efficient device for cleaning knives and forks.

The invention consists of a scouring-table mounted on a box .which is open at both ends of the table, and of a sliding rubbing-block guided by or in grooves for applying the polishing-powder to the knives or forks; and, further, of a removable drawer tted in said box for receiving the excess ot' lpolishing-powder which may fall from the scouring-table during the operation of cleaning the knives and forks.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the device with a knifein position. Fig.2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation ot' the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. i

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a box, preferably rectangular, open at the top, and containing in its bottom a drawer, B, which is held closed by a button, a, and may be withdrawn by means ofa knob, b.

On the top of the box A is rmly secured a horizontal level iiat bed or scouring-table, C, having raised sides O', provided on their in` ner faces with longitudinal grooves c, in which is held in such a manner that it can be made to slide freely back and forth a sliding rubbing-block, D, covered with felt or other elastic or soft substance, D', on its under side, and

, having a knob or handle, d, on its top for convenience of the operator. This bed C is shorter than the box A, so that the sand or polishing powder used in the cleaning operation may fall from either end of it into the drawer B, and thereby be prevented from soiling the table or other object on which the device is 5 placed for use.

The knives or forks are held on the scouring-table U, as shown in the drawings,wherein F represents a knife between said table C and the rubbing-block D, and powdered brick or other polishing-powder is then supplied to the said rubbing-block D, which is then rubbed back and forth over the blade'or tines, the excess ofthe polishing-powder during the operation falling from either end of the scouring` bed or table O into the drawer B, whence it may be removed for renewed application to knives or forks.

In the drawings is shown a fiat-faced rubbing-block, D, designed more especially for knives; but for forks I use a rubbingblock, D, having a convex face, whereby the spaces between the tines of a fork are reached, and the sides of the tines thereby polished or cleaned.

I am aware that knife-cleaners have been made with inclined scouring-tables having powderreceptacles at the lower end, and leather straps for cleaning forks; but I am not aware that a knife-cleaner with a level table mounted on a box open at each end to receive the falling powder and provided with a removable drawer to catch the falling powder has ever before been designed.

Having thus described my inven tion, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A knife or fork cleaner consisting of the box A, provided with an opening at the upper part of each end, a bed, C, made shorter at one end than the box, theraised grooved sides C C', and the rubbing slide-block D, having knob d, as shown and described.

2. In a knife-cleaner, the combination, with the box A, scouring-table O, and rubbingblock D, of the drawer B, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the eX- cess of polishing-powder falling from the said table at each end is caught, as set forth.

BENJAMIN J. HOWE.

Witnesses J AMEs T. GRAHAM, G. SEDGWIGK. 

